Boston marathon bomb injures many, kills three

This past Monday, April 15, two explosives detonated at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Both bombs detonated within 13 seconds of each other, at 2:49 PM. No warning threat was made before the blasts. The FBI is currently leading an investigation and has found that the explosives in question were made from pressure cookers filled with metal and other shrapnel that were stored in black backpacks or duffel bags; they have also classified the explosions as an act of terrorism.

The consequence was that 183 people were injured as a result of the explosion, as well as three fatalities. The deceased include Lü Lingzi, a 23-year-old Chinese national and graduate of Boston University; 29-year-old restaurant manager Krystle M. Campbell; and perhaps most tragically, 8-year-old Martin Richard, from the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston.  The most common non-lethal injuries were shrapnel wounds, and ruptured eardrums, though there have been at least 13 reports of severed limbs.

After the explosions, the medical personnel that were on hand to assist the runners rushed to the scene to help with rescue workers with additional medical personnel arriving shortly thereafter. The local police closed off a 15 block perimeter around the bomb site, and diverted the runners who had yet to finish away from harm.  The American Red Cross and the Boston Police Department set up phone lines for friends and family to contact anyone who might have been in the blast zone when the bombs detonated.

On the same day, approximately three hours later, President Barack Obama addressed the nation with a recap of the events that proceeded and a heartfelt speech promising to bring the parties responsible for committing this act of terrorism to justice.

Later, on the night of April 18, Boston police engaged in a shootout and subsequent manhunt for suspects, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. The two brothers are Chechen-born, American citizens who the police believe are connected to the bombings. Tamerlan died in a hospital after the shootout. His brother Dzhokhar remains at large.The city of Boston and the surrounding area have asked residents to stay in their homes and have urged businesses to close down until Tsarnaev is captured. He is considered armed and dangerous.